Author: newsdesk

  • Imran Khan to walk free from Adiala jail soon: Intezar Panjutha

    Imran Khan to walk free from Adiala jail soon: Intezar Panjutha

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Intezar Panjutha has predicted that former Prime Minister Imran Khan will soon be cleared in all cases and will walk free without having to deal with anyone for freedom.  

    Panjutha told journalists after meeting Khan at Adiala jail that the former Prime Minister is spending time in prison for the sake of the public, claiming that Khan firmly refused to make any deal for personnel benefits.

    The political situation is comparatively better for PTI nowadays as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case on June 3.

    Panjutha also said in his presser that Barrister Salman Safdar briefed Imran Khan on the court’s decision.

    The PTI lawyer also stated that Khan accused Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his wife of making secret assets through corruption and raised concerns over their names in “Dubai leaks.”

  • From donkey meat to dead chicken, authorities shut down another ‘meat’ shop

    From donkey meat to dead chicken, authorities shut down another ‘meat’ shop

    The Lahore High Court has ordered the permanent sealing of shops selling dead chickens in Tollington Market.

    Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court issued a written order in the smog case, pointing out that the food authority’s report stated that a large number of dead chickens were destroyed in the Tollington market.

    It has been ordered that areas where the market’s waste is disposed off should be investigated and reported on, while the court has also called for an evaluation on cleanliness in the market.

    The court also ordered the PHA to submit a report on the maintenance of government parks along with the local committees.

  • Who are Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu? And why is Indian twitter teasing Modi about them?

    Who are Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu? And why is Indian twitter teasing Modi about them?

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, contrary to popular expectations, is seeing a major blow in the elections. The strongman of the right-wing Hindutva BJP, seeking a third term as Premier, could not get a clear majority. While his opponents are celebrating the unexpected result, Indian Twitter is having a riot about Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu, who have emerged as key players in the elections. The two politicians are popular for their secular leanings yet are known for changing their positions frequently.

    Indian publications like NDTV are making headlines, such as “Lok Sabha Election 2024 Result: India Congress may send feelers to Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar.”

    The leading coalitions- that of Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Rahul Gandhi’s Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)-are trying to include the two in their bloc.

    Kumar and Naidu have traditionally allied with the Congress and are meeting with them today. Meanwhile, Twitter users are having a riot with memes.

    A user posted a video of a movie scene in which a man is busy with several incoming calls, with the caption “Nitish Kumar right now.”

    Another netizen made fun by using a scene from Johny Lever’s movie where he could be seen telling another character that even though I am looking elsewhere, my heart belongs to you.

    An X user quoted the famous Shahrukh Khan reference of “Palat” as the voice of INDIA.

    Another account posted a video of a man lured by two ladies at the same time and suggested that this could be Nitish at the moment.

    Another meme that is gaining a lot of traction is of Gandhi smiling, quoting, “Aa gaya sawaad.”

  • ‘If I had not married…’: Hira Khan breaks silence on early marriage to Arslan Khan

    Actress Hira Khan recently opened up about her marriage to actor Arslan Khan and why he was the perfect match for her.

    In a new interview with a local media outlet, Hira Khan spoke candidly about her husband and marital life. When asked what made her believe that Arslan is the one she wants to spend the rest of her life with, she said, “Because he healed me in ways he didn’t know.”

    Further hinting at her dreamy flashmob proposal for her now-husband, the ‘Woh Pagal Si’ star added, “I wanted to make that moment special for him because he had already done so much for me.”

    Hira Khan also emphasized that they see each other as equal partners. She explained, “There is no man in our relationship, we are equal partners. Of course, the respect and responsibilities of a woman are in place but we see each other as two equals.”

    When asked about their early marriage, Khan said it was the right time for her. She told the publication, “If I had not tied the knot with him then, perhaps I would have never married anyone.”

    Hira Khan and Arslan Khan tied the knot in a grand ceremony last year, following a dreamy proposal by Hira. The couple revealed that they first met through a mutual friend during a power breakdown in Karachi.

    As Hira shared, “I’d known him – from Instagram – and then we met for the first time and there were sparks definitely, at least from my side.”
    The actors mentioned that they became close friends, but Arslan’s mother first suggested they get married after meeting Hira.

  • T20 World Cup 2024: Netherlands defeats Nepal by six wickets

    T20 World Cup 2024: Netherlands defeats Nepal by six wickets

    In T20 World Cup match, Netherlands defeated Nepal by six wickets in Dallas.

    Netherlands won the toss and put Nepal to bat first.

    First inning:

    Batting first Nepal bowled out for 106 runs in the last over. Rohit Poodle played a remarkable innings of 35 runs with the help of five fours.

    Van Beek and Tim Pringle took three each while McCrane and De Ledde dismissed two players each for the Netherlands.

    Second inning:

    In response, Netherlands achieved the target in the 19th over at the loss of four wickets.

    Max Dawood played an unbeaten innings of 54 runs, Vikramjit Singh scored 22 runs, Tim Pringle was declared the player of the match.

  • Bushra Bibi files petition for early hearing in Iddat case

    Bushra Bibi files petition for early hearing in Iddat case

    Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has filed a petition for an early hearing in the Iddat case on Tuesday. This is the only case left as a hurdle for the couple to get out of Adiala jail. 

    The former first lady requested the district and sessions court to fix the case for hearing this week as petitions have already been filed.
    The court has set the hearing for June 7 following the plea filed by Bushra Bibi, onw day after the Islamabad High Court accepted District and Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand’s request to transfer the iddat case to another court.

    After the judge’s request, the IHC transferred the case to the Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majuka.

  • Shaheen Shah Afridi withdraws from ‘The Hundred League’

    Shaheen Shah Afridi withdraws from ‘The Hundred League’

    Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has withdrawn from England’s ‘The Hundred League’.

    According to details, the fast bowler is in talks with Canada’s Global T20 League after leaving The Hundred League. Schedules of both the series are clashing. Welsh Fire had retained Shaheen for €100,000.

    The 24-year-old has explained to the England Cricket Board (ECB) that he wants to leave The Hundred to spend time with his family. The Hundred League will be played from July 23 to August 18, while The Global T20 League is expected to be played from July 25 to August 11. He already has a long contract with Desert Vipers in the ILT Twenty.

    Shaheen said, “I regret not playing with Welsh Fire this year. I enjoyed last season at The Hundred and was excited to be back in Cardiff. I wish him all the best for the upcoming season with Welsh Fire.”

    Welsh Fire has replaced Shaheen Afridi with New Zealand’s Matt Henry.

  • Imad Wasim ruled out of T20 match against USA

    Imad Wasim ruled out of T20 match against USA

    Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has been ruled out of the first match of the World Cup against USA.

    Confirming his unavailability, captain Babar Azam said, “Imad Wasim is suffering from a side strain due to which he will not be able for the first match but I am hopeful that he will be available for the remaining matches.”

    Pakistan will play the first match in the World Cup against the USA on June 6, while the USA has won their first match against Canada.

  • Govt’s debt rises to Rs5.53 trillion with recent Rs35.4 billion borrowing

    Govt’s debt rises to Rs5.53 trillion with recent Rs35.4 billion borrowing

    The government of Pakistan has secured an additional debt of Rs35.4 billion during the week ending on May 24, 2024, bringing the total net borrowing for the ongoing fiscal year 2024 to Rs5.53 trillion, according to the latest estimates from the central bank.

    Government borrowings this fiscal year have consistently outpaced those of previous years, indicating a persistent reliance on external financing. The borrowing is classified into three primary categories: budgetary support, commodity operations, and other purposes.

    For the week in question, net borrowing for budgetary support amounted to Rs24.52 billion, while loans for commodity operations totaled Rs13.07 billion. Conversely, a net amount of Rs2.19 billion was repaid under the “others” category.

    Cumulatively, for fiscal year 2024, borrowings for budgetary support have reached Rs5.68 trillion. In contrast, there has been a retirement of Rs149.47 billion in loans for commodity operations and Rs5.48 billion for other categories.

    The principal sources of financing for budgetary support are the State Bank of Pakistan and scheduled banks. This fiscal year, the government has repaid a net total of Rs1.07 trillion to the central bank. This repayment includes Rs598.84 billion by the Federal Government, Rs423.28 billion by the Provincial Government, Rs38.19 billion by the AJK Government, and Rs5.16 billion by the GB Government.

    On the other hand, scheduled banks have lent a net total of Rs6.75 trillion. The Federal Government borrowed Rs6.9 trillion from these banks, while the Provincial Government retired Rs151.49 billion.

    This pattern of borrowing underscores the government’s heavy dependence on domestic financial institutions to meet its budgetary needs amidst ongoing economic challenges.

  • Gold price increases by Rs700 to Rs241,000 per tola

    Gold price increases by Rs700 to Rs241,000 per tola

    The price of gold in Pakistan saw a notable increase on Tuesday, with 24-karat gold reaching Rs241,000 per tola, marking a Rs700 rise from the previous session.

    This hike comes despite efforts to maintain prices below their actual value to accommodate the reduced purchasing power among consumers. Currently, gold prices are set Rs3,000 lower than their market cost.

    In a broader context, last week witnessed a mild recovery in Pakistan’s bullion market. The price of 24-karat gold edged up by Rs300, settling at Rs240,300 per tola.

    The Karachi Sarafa Association reported an additional increase this week, with 24-karat gold rising by Rs600 to Rs206,619 per 10 grammes. In comparison, 22-karat gold was priced at Rs189,400 per 10 grammes.

    Silver prices remained stable, with 24-karat silver selling for Rs2,900 per tola and Rs2,486.28 per 10 grammes.

    On the international stage, spot gold traded near $2,331.69 an ounce, experiencing a decline of 0.81 per cent from the previous close. The global gold market is currently influenced by uncertainties surrounding potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

    This ambiguity has caused confusion among market participants regarding the future trend of inflation, contributing to the recent depreciation in gold prices.

    The fluctuating gold prices in Pakistan reflect a combination of local economic conditions and international market trends, illustrating the intricate balance between domestic fiscal strategies and global economic influences.